Hot water flow is poor want to improve it

[bacon_sandwich]

Hi guys, be gentle as although i am GSR, i am not a plumber. Ok this is my house. The kitchen hot tap has always been disappointing as its flow is rubbish and hot water takes ages to come through. Its vented cyl located ground floor, kitchen is on first floor and cold tank is above ceiling of 2nd floor. All hot taps / shower and bath on ground floor are wonderful. There are only two taps on first floor , kitchen and small toilet. No taps on 2nd floor. Recently had the kitchen replaced and the sink has been moved and as such the pipe work for the sink has extended further. Now the kitchen hot tap is more than disappointing.
What are my options?
Could i pump just the kitchen tap or do you need to pump from the cyl
many thanks

 

[ShaunCorbs]

What's the toilet like (same floor a kitchen) ?

 

[peter0504030201]

can you take a picture of the kitchen tap , the tap might not be suited for gravity hot water , or arrangement of pipework poor, slowing the flow down

 

[bacon_sandwich]

Just checked it, its better than the kitchen.
Kitchen flow is 2.38Lpm and it was slightly better than it sometimes is when i just measured it

 

[bacon_sandwich]

toilet is 3.46Lpm

 

[ShaunCorbs]

i would say its the tap, suitable for low pressure?

 

[Best]

Mixer tap looks like a pull out spray nozzle type?
Bloody awful flow on gravity hot with those and many ordinary mixers not much better.

 

[bacon_sandwich]

No idea, supplied and fitted by kitchen people, we chose it from a catalogue. Is there a way to check?

 

[bacon_sandwich]

Yes the end pulls out, not that i have ever used it

 

[ShaunCorbs]

No idea, supplied and fitted by kitchen people, we chose it from a catalogue. Is there a way to check?

yea change the bloody thing looks cheap and nasty so dont think it will be good for low pressure, its not branded any where?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes the end pulls out, not that i have ever used it

does the spout go below the counter top?

 

[bacon_sandwich]

Got my glasses on and i can just read "clearwater" on the bottom ring

 

[Best]

Pull out nozzle types I think are all only rated for high pressure. They are very restrictive.
Ordinary modern 1/4 turn kitchen mixers are generally poor enough poor, although some strangely are okay.
The flexi hose tails are small bore, then the body of tap is same and the ceramic works have only a small max opening. Then the spout really adds to the restriction - particularily due to the hot having to go through a small bore pipe in middle of spout, - which on pull out type is a flexi. Add to that an airator at end which can be only for high pressure. Check the airator isn't partially blocked by unscrewing it

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Emporia Clearwater Spray Tap, Chrome Sale Twin Levers, Swan Neck "C" Spout 0.5 Bar

no mate .5 bar so high pressure normally low pressure are a .1bar min

and if the hose goes below the top of the worktop its classed as cat 5 and we cant have that

 

[Best]

Yes, I found it here, -
Buy Emporia Mixer Tap With Pull Out Brushed Steel - EMPBS | Clearwater
and it says 0.8 bar for high pressure only.

 

[bacon_sandwich]

Just measured cold flow. its 12Lpm. When i pull out the hose it almost reaches the bottom of the sink

 

[bacon_sandwich]

mmmmm. Does that mean i have to go unvented ?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

mmmmm. Does that mean i have to go unvented ?

or change the tap also change it to a non flexi spout so your ok with water regs then

 

[peter0504030201]

your flow would triple with this tap with copper tails , ideal for gravity systems

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Or any gravity rated tap

 

[Best]

I find you never know with an unfamiliar new tap how good the flow is going to be until you turn the water back on.
The bar rating can be misleading.
If the spout looks wide, generally a good sign.
Life was easier when we had full flow mixer taps years ago and no ceramic works

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Good old washer eg1010 taps

 

[bacon_sandwich]

OK tap is poo. Update. The cold water feed is not above the ceiling of 2nd floor its actually in a cupboard on 2nd floor probably just 2.5 - 3 metres above the kitchen tap. So if i am only ever going to get 3-4Lpm should i just bite the bullet and go HP.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

But what's your incoming flow and pressure?

 

[bacon_sandwich]

I dont know Shaun. Best i get my freindly plumber in to measure it